Faithful disciples will receive great rewards, but those who harm their weaker brethren run the risk of being cast into Gehenna – Mark 9:38-40.
The next story begins with John complaining because someone who was not from among Christ’s inner circle was casting out demons in his name. But his complaint was rich in irony since just a few verses earlier the disciples found themselves unable to exorcise demons because of their unbelief.
Continue reading FAITHFUL AND SALTLESS DISCIPLESA line is crossed when what God’s Spirit is doing in Jesus is attributed to Satan – Mark 3:22-35.
The discourse on the “unpardonable sin” begins when certain scribes arrived from Jerusalem to examine the conduct and teachings of Jesus. In the preceding paragraph, his “friends” concluded that he was “beside himself.” In the present story, the representatives from the Temple accuse him of being in league with “Beelzebul,” the Devil.
Continue reading UNPARDONABLE SINSYNOPSIS: According to the gospel of Mark, Jesus overturned the logic behind religious-based dietary restrictions – Mark 7:20-23.
At one point, Jesus came into conflict with the Jews from Jerusalem about eating food with unwashed hands. They believed doing so rendered a person “common” or “unclean,” that is, ritually impure. The conclusion Jesus pronounced at the end of this story undermines the religious logic behind such food laws (Matthew 15:1-20, Mark 7:1-23 [See also, ‘Paul on Food and Calendrical Regulations’]). Continue reading Jesus and Food Purity Laws
SYNOPSIS: The gospel of Mark presents five incidents in which Jesus experienced opposition from religious leaders for deviating from their traditions – Mark 2:1-3:6.
Jesus did not reject the Mosaic Law but, instead, many of the interpretations added to it by the Scribes and rabbinical authorities, especially practices related to ritual purity and Sabbath regulations. As the “Son of Man,” the Messiah, he was not bound by human traditions and regulations – His authority was superior to the traditions of the “Scribes and Pharisees,” even to the rituals of the Temple. Continue reading Jesus and Jewish Tradition
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